Endowed Chair in Population Cancer Research

Dalhousie University invites applications for the Canadian Cancer Society (Nova Scotia Division) Endowed Chair in Population Cancer Research. The purpose of this chair is to attract a dynamic and innovative leader in the field of cancer research who will strengthen the population cancer research infrastructure and resources in Nova Scotia. This five-year renewable appointment is based in the Department of Community Health & Epidemiology, in the Faculty of Medicine, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

The Department houses 14 full time faculty and greater than 50 cross-appointed faculty and offers MSc and PhD training in Epidemiology and Applied Health Services.

The Province of Nova Scotia experiences some of the highest cancer incidence and mortality rates in Canada. The Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in the Central Zone of the Nova Scotia Health Authority has identified cancer research as a major theme in its strategic plan for research. Cancer research has also been identified as a priority for the Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine, with population level research being a central pillar of the faculty’s strategic mission. Population cancer research focuses on the complex interactions (biological, social, cultural, and environment) which determine the health of individuals, communities, and populations; and the application of that knowledge to improve the health of both individuals and populations. This includes the evaluation of interventions to improve access, quality, equity and effectiveness in population and across subgroups.

The creation of an Endowed Chair in Population Cancer Research demonstrates the Canadian Cancer Society’s commitment to address the high rate of cancer in Nova Scotia through evidence-based cancer prevention strategies and population health research. With the support of partners including Dalhousie University and the two provincial Health Authorities – the Nova Scotia Health Authority and the IWK Health Centre, this Endowed Research Chair is a critical step in the achievement of this goal.

Major responsibilities of the Chair holder are to:

• Establish a research program in the area of population cancer research
• Engage with a broad array of stakeholders at the regional, provincial, and national level
• Supervise undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate trainees
• Teach at the undergraduate and graduate level
• Promote research activities and be a research spokesperson for the Canadian Cancer Society

The Chair holder will be expected to work with a broad range of stakeholders within and outside of the university, including patients and families, front-line care providers and managers, clinician-researchers, all levels of government, international agencies and non-governmental organizations, and will engage in knowledge translation and exchange (KTE) activities. The successful applicant will be pivotal in strengthening the Faculty of Medicine’s and Dalhousie’s institutional priorities. Emphasis will be on fostering community outreach and building a health research mandate in cancer care that is collaborative, interdisciplinary, and internationally recognized. The successful applicant will lead a research program that is consistent with the research pillars of the Faculty of Medicine’s strategic plan,  DalMedForward. The Chair holder will act as a research leader and research spokesperson for the Canadian Cancer Society, Nova Scotia Division, promoting research initiatives regionally, nationally and internationally. 

The successful candidate will have a PhD in Epidemiology, Population Health, Health Services Research, or related field; or an MD with an MSc in one of the above listed fields. Applicants must have demonstrated an established, independent track record of excellence in research, including the ability to secure grant funding and to publish in peer-reviewed journals.

Applicants must have experience teaching at the undergraduate level and working in a collaborative, multidisciplinary research environment. The successful applicant must have a research program working in population cancer research. Preference will be given to candidates working in areas relevant to policy, health services research, and service delivery. Other relevant areas include, but are not limited to, cancer care and/or patient outcomes; data science and analytics; quality of life assessment; health technology assessment; and care pathway optimization. It is expected that the Chair will provide provincial, regional and national leadership in the quality of population cancer research.

The Chair holder will take up an academic appointment as an Associate or Full Professor at Dalhousie University and will be eligible for renewal of the appointment. Both the Chair and accompanying appointment are renewable.

Review of applications will begin October 14th, 2019 and will continue until the position is filled. Please provide a complete application including a curriculum vitae, a two-page research statement, a completed Self-Identification Questionnaire, which is available at  www.dal.ca/becounted/selfid, and the names of three referees, to  dalPCRchair@kbrs.ca or apply online at https://www.kbrs.ca/Career/13157.

To learn more please contact Laura Godsoe at 1 902 421 7544.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. Dalhousie University is committed to fostering a collegial culture grounded in diversity and inclusiveness. The university encourages applications from Aboriginal people, persons with a disability, racially visible persons, women, persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, and all candidates who would contribute to the diversity of our community.